Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2021 Ford Escape
NHTSA data on file today
The 2021 Ford Escape has 19 NHTSA recall campaigns and 354 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 4 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #26V123000 Incorrectly Displayed Rearview Camera Image/FMVSS 111 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #26V117000 Windshield Wipers May Fail NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V829000 Liftgate Hinge Covers May Detach NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V685000 Engine Block Heater May Short Circuit and Cause Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V467000 Cracked Fuel Injector May Leak and Cause a Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V442000 Rearview Camera Image May Not Display NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V345000 Engine Failure May Cause Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V165000 Cracked Fuel Injector May Leak and Cause a Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V954000 High Voltage Battery May Short Circuit NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V852000 Missing Dashboard Air Bag Warning Label/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24V330000 Software Error May Cause Loss of Drive Power NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V380000 Engine Failure May Cause Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V859000 Cracked Fuel Injector May Leak and Cause a Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V484000 Engine Compartment Fire Risk NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V191000 Engine Oil Leak NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V149000 High Voltage Battery May Fail NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V922000 Reduced Braking Performance/FMVSS 135 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V869000 High Voltage Battery May Fail NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V625000 Fuel Delivery Module May Leak NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Structure 92 complaints
- Unknown or Other 59 complaints
- Fuel System, Gasoline 46 complaints
- Power Train 46 complaints
- Engine 44 complaints
- Service Brakes 40 complaints
Of the 354 complaints on file, 9 report a crash and 9 a fire; across all 354 complaints, owners report 5 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2021 Ford Escape has a substantial number of issues, with 353 owner complaints and 19 NHTSA recall campaigns. The most troubling areas are structure and fuel system-related problems. Frequent recalls for engine and fuel system issues highlight reliability concerns. However, due to limited complaint details, specific failure predictions are challenging.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | Unknown | $300–$1,500 | common |
| Engine | Unknown | $1,000–$5,000 | occasional |
| Brake system | Unknown | $200–$1,000 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Transmission fluid change
- Tire rotation and alignment
- Cabin air filter replacement
- Engine air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Fuel odors in engine bay
- Check engine light
- Poor brake performance
- Engine misfires
- Transmission slipping
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2021 Ford Escape at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.